I usually take care of my normal day task all morning and afternoon. Our gigs are usually at around 10 or 10:30. So around 5 or 5:30 I start to get ready. I usually load my amp into the car before I shower/bath, so I'm not sweaty from lugging it. I then usually eat dinner. (A lot of times I'll order something from the local restaturant) Get washed. Hang around watching TV or whatever for about 30 or 45 minutes. Then I load my bass(es) (Always load them right before I leave since cold air is not good for the finish and wood) Then I'm off to the gig. (Which means when you live in sticksville like me, the gig is anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes away) I usually try to get to the bar at least an hour before show time to help with the PA and anything like that. And that, is my usual routine for when I have a gig.

Make an appointment where and how I should meet the other band members (hopefully done several days beforehand), check that my bass is OK (if it's not I'll just panic for a while and play it anyway), pack my gigbag with bass, strap, cable(s), spare string set(s), cutting nippers, tuner, metronome (don't really know what I would use it for on a gig, though) and some cotton (used as earplugs). That's about it - no special ritual or anything.

Been a while since I gigged though... but if I had a gig today, that is what I would have done.

I try not to do anything during the day of the gig that will stress me out. I will also often times try to take a nap sometime in the afternoon or early evening. I find if I'm in a relaxed state of mind at gig time, it often times goes a lot better.

Also, some of the places we play offer a free dinner as part of the payment plan. In those cases I try to get to the gig early enough to where I can eat and relax a little before we play.

Since most of my gigs lately have been two nighters, I'm working the day of the first night... So, on Thursday, I make sure that all of the things I need are packed in my gig case, (tuner, extra strings, clean rags, stands, cables, Advil, breath mints, gum, multi-tool, an extra set of drum-sticks that have saved our butts more than once, spare batteries for the wireless as well as any pedal effects the guitarist has... ). When I get home from work, I shower, shave, listen to a mellow CD, (It's Diana Krall at the moment), get dressed, clean my basses, check intonation and tuning. This is very relaxing and helps me become 'one' with them... Then I load up, get to the gig, have a beer while setting up, then another with the guys as we sit around before playing. By then, I'm in the mood...

To start with,on the nights we play out,I wont have anything to drink all day(nothing-no water,coffee etc....)until after the show. Unfortunately,Ive got a bladder the size of a shotglass,and I'll wind up in the bathroom every five minutes if I have anything to drink.
Anyway,since I work pretty much all the time,I try to get out of work early so I can catch a few hours of sleep before each show.Then I'll get my stuff ready,shower/shave,and load my stuff into the car and head to the show.On the way I'll stop at Burger King for some chow,and eat in the car on the way to the show,while listening to Fuel's "Sunburn" cd.
Once we get there,its the same routine-set up,soundcheck,go over the song list,and then play our a$$es off.

um..get up late..sometimes have to go to school first for the weekday shows which means getting up at 6. So far before every show the band practices a few hours before..good thing sometimes too...last week I broke a string at the practice and had no spares..made a stop at guitar on the way to the show...after practice we all go our ways..eat..shower...change....meet back up..pack up...head off...normally showing up at least 30 min later than we planned to

My usuall gig day is.. My singer calls about 10-15 times between 10:00am and 8:00 pm. My drummer calls about 6 times and the guitarist, I won't hear from until 5 min. before we play. The whole day i'm answering my phone, I usually warm up. Or, I leave so I won't have to talk, and listen to them panic when I show up.
I sound like I never show up. But, I'm the only one who is ever on time. Basically, the whole day is shot, by answering the phone, or having to leave. I play with a bunch of PSYCHOS!

I am supposed to be at my guitarist's house about four hours before our start time . My girlfriend and I load my personal gear into my van (amp, cabs, bass, gig bag, drum riser, stands, mic stands and promo items) and head off to his house. There, we break down the "band gear" (he rarely has anything ready when I get there) and load it into the van as well (PA cabs, board, amps, guitars, drums, lights, banner and assorted stage props: Severed heads and glow-in-the-dark-green skulls ). From there, we all get into our seperate cars (five of 'em) and head to the bar. We unload the gear, begin setting up and have a few beers while doing so. Our singer makes out his cheat sheets for the night and tapes them to his monitor. We usually set levels and do a sound check about 30 minutes prior to start time. Between the final check and the start of the show, we usually just mill around and shoot the breeze. Sometimes some of us will make a run to get something to eat. As we are "into" the first song, our guitarist effs with his sound and the soundman makes any final sound adjustments, including turning me down, because "you're rattling the windows, man!"

Fortunately for me, this should be my last weekend with this band, so my pre-show routine should be a little different (better) next time I do it. I guess this post turned into a sort-of gripe, huh?

sometime around noon the band will come together and practice, then we all go to our homes. Around 4-5 I'll take a shower and thats when I take care of the aesthetics (fix my hair, decide what to wear, polish my axe). Right before we go on I say a short prayer and then check my tuning, and then I get up on stage and kick it.

The day before the gig, I buy a set of strings and two 9V Batterys.
I restring and tune the bass (and set it up), play a little bit.
I go to bed, sleep as long as I can, then I pick up the bass, tune it again, play a little bit then I lay it down. About an hour before I leave, I play and tune again, than I insert the one 9V Battery, the second one will rest in the Gig Bag if I need it.
Then I leave to our rehearsal room, meet my band, load everything into the bass. We usually get to the venue about 2 hours before we start, so we do a long Soundcheck and I tune AGAIN.
Then we rock hard, we get drunk and leave - thats rock ´n roll...